diff --git a/pkg/core/blockchain.go b/pkg/core/blockchain.go
index 13266c65c..f0b4650e2 100644
--- a/pkg/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/pkg/core/blockchain.go
@@ -1455,7 +1455,9 @@ func (bc *Blockchain) GetEnrollments() ([]state.Validator, error) {
 
 // GetTestVM returns a VM and a Store setup for a test run of some sort of code.
 func (bc *Blockchain) GetTestVM(tx *transaction.Transaction) *vm.VM {
-	systemInterop := bc.newInteropContext(trigger.Application, bc.dao, nil, tx)
+	d := bc.dao.GetWrapped().(*dao.Simple)
+	d.MPT = nil
+	systemInterop := bc.newInteropContext(trigger.Application, d, nil, tx)
 	vm := systemInterop.SpawnVM()
 	vm.SetPriceGetter(getPrice)
 	return vm
diff --git a/pkg/core/dao/dao.go b/pkg/core/dao/dao.go
index 22030a974..af746cef4 100644
--- a/pkg/core/dao/dao.go
+++ b/pkg/core/dao/dao.go
@@ -367,8 +367,10 @@ func (dao *Simple) PutStorageItem(id int32, key []byte, si *state.StorageItem) e
 		return buf.Err
 	}
 	v := buf.Bytes()
-	if err := dao.MPT.Put(stKey[1:], v); err != nil && err != mpt.ErrNotFound {
-		return err
+	if dao.MPT != nil {
+		if err := dao.MPT.Put(stKey[1:], v); err != nil && err != mpt.ErrNotFound {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	return dao.Store.Put(stKey, v)
 }
@@ -377,8 +379,10 @@ func (dao *Simple) PutStorageItem(id int32, key []byte, si *state.StorageItem) e
 // given key from the store.
 func (dao *Simple) DeleteStorageItem(id int32, key []byte) error {
 	stKey := makeStorageItemKey(id, key)
-	if err := dao.MPT.Delete(stKey[1:]); err != nil && err != mpt.ErrNotFound {
-		return err
+	if dao.MPT != nil {
+		if err := dao.MPT.Delete(stKey[1:]); err != nil && err != mpt.ErrNotFound {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	return dao.Store.Delete(stKey)
 }